Automatic lighter and extinguisher for gas-burners.



No. 816,962. PATBNTBD APR. 3, 1906.

' J. L. BRUCE. AUTOMATIC LIGHTER AND BXTINGUISHER FOR GAS BURNERS.

APPLICATION FILED DEG. 21, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Z1 igl- WITNESSES. lNVENTOI? JZJZIZ Zeafifiruew A TTOHNE YS No. 816,962. PATENTED APR. 8, 1906.

J. L. BRUCE. AUTOMATIC LIGHTER AND EXTINGUISHER FOR GAS BURNERS.

APPLICATION FILED 1330.21, 1904.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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WITNESSES. lNVENTOR I j/znleckfirac'e mm By M r66 ATTORNEYS J. L. BRUCE. AUTOMATIC LIGHTER AND EXTINGUISHER FOR GAS BURNERS.

PATENTBD APR. 3, 1906.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

PATENTED APR. 3, 1906.

J. L. BRUCE.

AUTOMATIC LIGHTER AND EXTINGUISHER FOR GAS BURNBRS.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 21, 1904.

4 SHBETSSHBET 4 N VE N 70/? J/zzz Z60 6 311161 14 TTOHWE Y3 W/ TNESSE S.

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JOHN L. BRUCE. or KOGARAH. NEW sourn WALES, AUSTRALIA. AUTOMATIC LIGHTER AND EXTINGUISHER FOR GAS-BURNERS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 3, 1906.

A li ti fil d December 21, 1904. Serial No. 237,798.

, in Automatic Lighters and Extinguishers for Gas-Burners, of which the following is a spec1- fication.

My invention relates to an improved apparatus for lighting and extinguishing street and other gas-lamps from a distance.

This invention relates to a device by means of which gas-burners provided with means for ignition, such as pilot-lights, can be lighted or extinguished from a distance by increas ing and decreasing the pressure of gas in the mains. I am aware that different devices have been tried for this purpose; but many of them have failed in reliability under the vary ing conditions incidental to gas-light pracice.

The object of my invention is to provide an apparatus which will be absolutely reliable under all conditions.

The essential feature of my invention is a mercury-valve which controls the gas-supply and is operated by the rise and fall of a gas ometer-bell or its equivalent, actuated b y predetermined variations of pressurein the gasmain. The operation of the valve may be obtained either by the direct action of the gasometer-bell or by means of a suitable in termediate mechanism, and the form of the valve may be either a small mercury sealed hell or a displacer-plunger immersed in mercury. There are many suitable intermediate mechanisms that *might be used to operate the valve; but I will confine myself to the deseription of two forms which I have found. in practice to be simple and effective.

Figure 1 shows the apparatus complete in elevation. Figs. 2 and 3 illustrate my appa ratus with one form of intermediate mechanism for operating the valve,Fig. 2 being a vertical section on line C D, Fig. 3 and Fig. 3, a horizontal section on line A B, Fig. 2. Figs. 4 and 5 are vertical and horizontal sectional views, respectively, illustrating a modification of the invention; and Figs. 6 and 7 are similar views, respectively, representing a fur- 1 ther modification of the invention.

The device, as illustrated, consists of an outer casing containing a small gasometer, the bell of which is sealed, preferably with mercury. Within the gas-chamber and bei mercury.

n'eath the bell is a horizontal shaft supported on suitable bearings. One end of this shaft is cranked and carries depending therefrom a plunger, which lies within a m ercury-well, so that by the rise and fall of the plunger the level of the mereuryis lowered or raised. The other end of the shaft carries a weighted tumbler, consisting of, preferably, a closed oblong vessel partially filled with mercury or shot. At or near the center of the shaft is a ratchetwheel securely keyed thereto. Depending from the inside roof of the gasometer-bell and attached thereto in such a position as to engage the ratchet-wheel is a vertical rack.

The action. of the apparatus is as follows: Assuming that the bell has been weighted), either by dead-weight or by springs, to lift at a predetermined n'iaximum pressure and that the light is out, the pressure in the main is first reduced to a predetermined minimum. This causes the bell to descend into the position shown in Fig. 2, the rack of course riding over the teeth of the ratchet-wheel without engagement. The pressure is then in creased to the predetermined maximum, at which the bell will rise, and as the bell rises the rack attached thereto engages theratch etwheel on the underlying shaft, which carries the plunger and causes the same to revolve a quarter-revolution, when the mercury contained in the tumbler will transfer itself to the other end thereof, and so aid the rack and ratchet-wheel in completing a half-revolution of the shaft, and retain the parts in the position reached till again moved by the next rise of the gasometer bell. The half-revolution of the shaft will raise the plunger out of the mercury-well sufficiently far to lower the level of the mercury and open a passage for the gas to pass to the burner.

In order that the invention may be clearly understood, 1 shall describe the parts in detail by reference to the drawings.

In F igs. 1, 2, and 8, E is mainbody of aparatus. F is an annular channel containing mercury. G is gasometer-bell. H is a vertical spindle attached to and passingupward and downward; through the bell G for thepurose of vertically guiding the bell in its rise and fall. J is a hinged rack depending from the bell in such a position as to engage the ratchet-wheel K. L is a horizontal shaft supported on suitable bearings, as shown. M is a weighted tumbler, preferably consisting of an oblong vessel partially filled with This tumbler is fixed to one end of the shaft L. The other end of the shaft L has a crank N, to which is pivotally attached a small rod O, carrying the displacer-plunger W is guide provided to prevent the bell from turning. Q is a mercury well in which is immersed the plunger P. R R are gas-passages leading from the mercury-well to the burner supplypipe S. WVhen the plunger P is raised by a half-revolution of the shaft L, caused by the rise of the gasometer bell G, the level of the mercury in the well Q falls and the mercury in the upper passage the gas to the burner supply-pipe S, and the gas lights. The falling of the bell G, owing either to a predetermined or a normal lowering of the pressure in the main, will have no effect on the supply to the burner, as the rack J rides over the ratchet-wheel K; but when the bell G rises again, as a result of the raising of the pressure in the main to a predetermined maXimum, the rack J engages the ratchet-wheel K and aided by the tumblingweight M causes the shaft L to make another half-revolution, which immerses the plunger P in the mercury in the well Q, thereby raises its level, fills the passages R, and cuts off the gas-supply to the burner. Different channels with suitable screw-plugs are provided, as shown, for the purpose of clearing the passages from obstructions and tying the mercury seals when desired. nection with the gas-main is made at T, the pilot-light a being in communication with the gas-supply through channel V.

In Figs. 4 and 5 another suitable intermediate mechanism is shown for operating the valve, which in this case consists of a small bell with mercury seal covering the gas-outlet to burner. This small bell is suspended .from a hollow ring containing a small quan- :tity of mercury and horizontally pivotedat two sides to form From ings, E is outer nel containing mercury. G is gasometerbell with vertical guide-spindle H attached.

thereto. T is gas-supply connection. V is supply-pipe to pilot a. J is a hollow ring partially filled with mercury on two opposite filling and emp raised sufiiciently to lift the out of its mercury seal N, uncovering the enabled to pass orifice P. The gas is thus assa 'e O to main burner- P e freely through pipe S. On the pressure being slightly lowered the bell G will descend, relieving the right-hand wire loop L and engaging the left-hand wire loop L. On the bell G being raised by increased gas-pressure the ring J is caused to di the other way, whereby the small bell M descends into its mercury seal and cuts off the gas-supply.

Figs. 6 and 7 show the apparatus with the mercury-valve operated direct by the rise and fall of the gasometer-bell. This form of my invention may be used when it is desired scribed and consist of an outer casing, a gasometer, and a mercury-valve, which consists of a small bell (with a mercuryseal) underlying and fixed to the gasometer-bell and concentric therewith. The mercury valve communicates with the gas-supply, and on the pressure being raised to a certain predetermined maximum the gas will bubble through the mercury surrounding the lip of the valve-bell and raise the gasometer-bell, thus allowing the gas to pass to the burner. For the urpose of accurately adjusting the level the the gasometer at starting, the gas-passage to the burner is kept nearly closed by a check-plug, movably attached to the bell, which allows the gas to accumulate under the main bell till the pressure has been valve-bell out of mercury seal. When the pressure in the gas main is reduced, both bells (being weighted to a predetermined extent) will descend again and shut ofi the supply, thereby extinguishing the light.

Referring to Figs. 6 and 7, E is outer casing. F is annular channel containing mercury. G is gasometer-bell with vertical spindle H he gas entering at T passes upward till arrested by the small bell J On the pressure being sufficiently raised the gas will bubble through the mercury seal of valve K and raise the large bell G carrying with it the valve-bell J 2 and the supportingarm L X is displacer-screw provided for the purpose of adjusting the level of the mercury valve-seal. A f1 er rise of the bell irth G still carrying with it the supporting-arm On the bell being further L lifts the valve-bell J clear of the mercury and the check-plug M from its seat and allows the gas to pass freely through the orifice N and channel O to the burner S Through a passage V the pilot-burner a is in constant communication With the gas-main. Suitable channels and plugs or stoppers are provided to remove any obstructions and to supply or to empty the mercury, as described.

Having noW particularly described and ascertained the nature of my said invention and in What manner the same is to be performed, I declare that What I claim is 1. A device for lighting and extinguishing street and other gas-burners from a distance, comprising a structure in communication With a gas-main, having a Well containing mercury, together With a gasqaassage leading from the Well to a burner supplypipe, a gasometer-bell, means for controlling the admission of gas to said supply-pipe by displacement of the mercury Within said Well, connections for operating the same by the and fall of the bell, and means for actuating the bell on variations of pressure in the gasmain, embodying a displacer-plunger Working in the Well.

Signed at Sydney, in the State of New South Vales, this 27th day of October, 1904.

JOHN L. BRUCE. Witnesses 1 ARTHUR GRIFFITH, LEsLIE O. A. WARD. 

